[Event "Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.09"] [Round "54"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2768"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C45"] [Opening "Scotch Game: Mieses Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/f5OBDjty/vfAgIqoH"] [Orientation "white"] { In the losers' final, two more draws brought the pair of Americans back to Armageddon. Again, Nakamura won the bid to play with Black, only this time he put an exclamation mark on the game. It's hard to believe he was not playing for a win out of the opening, which resulted in So having the only winning chances. He missed the crucial chance to push his queenside pawns, however, and from there imploded in an attempt to avoid the draw. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Bd3 d6 8. exd6 cxd6 9. Be4 Ba6 10. Bxd5 $18 cxd5 11. Qxd5 Rc8 12. Nc3 Be7 13. Be3 Bc4 14. Qd2 Qa5 15. a3 d5?! { A remarkable decision from Black, considering the stakes. } 16. Nd1 (16. O-O-O { Somehow, White is not castling into an actual attack. However, Black has chances for perpetuals. } 16... Qxa3 { Even this move, which is Black's best try, is only good enough for proximate equality. } 17. Qd4 (17. bxa3? Bxa3+ 18. Kb1 Rb8+ 19. Ka1 Bb2+ 20. Kb1 Bxc3+ 21. Kc1 Bb2+ { would win the match. } (21... Bxd2+ 22. Kxd2)) 17... Qa1+ 18. Kd2 Qa6 (18... Qxb2 { This variation nicely illustrates the dangers of attempting to attack before castling. } 19. Rb1 Qa3 20. Qxg7 Rf8 21. Rhe1 $18) 19. Qxg7 Bf6 20. Qg4 h5 21. Qf4 $16 { but here, it looks like Black was the one who took risks to play for a win at all costs! }) 16... Qc7 17. Bd4 O-O 18. Ne3 Bg5 19. O-O-O Rfe8 20. Kb1 a5 21. h4 Bxe3 22. Bxe3 h5 23. Rhe1 (23. b3! { Keeping Black's pawn from reaching a4 would save White a major headache later. }) 23... a4 24. Bd4 f6 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Re1 Qd7 27. Re3 Rxe3 28. Bxe3 Qg4 29. g3 Qh3 30. Qd1 Qf5 31. Kc1 Qe5 32. Bd4 Qe4 33. Be3 Qe5 34. Qd4 Qf5?? 35. Kd2?! (35. Qa7! Qe6 36. Qxa4 d4 37. Bd2 d3 38. b3 Bd5 39. Be3 Be4 40. cxd3 Bxd3 41. Qa8+ $18) 35... Qd7 36. Kc3 Kh7 37. b3! Bb5 38. Qc5 Kh8 39. Kb4 { Progress! White's queenside pawns are starting to mobilize, and that cursed d5-pawn is nothing but a nuisance for Black. } 39... Be2 40. Kc3 (40. bxa4 { White did not want to pull the trigger considering Black's attempts to blockade on the light squares. } 40... Bc4 41. a5 Kh7 42. Bd4 Qe6 43. Kc3 Kg6) 40... Bb5 41. Kb2 Kh7 42. Bd4 Kh8 43. Bc3 Bc6 44. Qd4 Kg8 45. Qf4 Kf7 46. Bd4 Qe7 47. Qe3 Qd7 48. Bc5 Kg8 49. Qe7 Qc8 50. Qd6 Kh7 51. Bd4 Qe8 52. f3? (52. b4!? Kg6 53. f3 Bb7 54. Qc5 Bc6 55. g4 { with the threat of b4-b5 established, Black might not be able to hold on on both flanks. }) 52... axb3 53. Kxb3 Ba4+ 54. Kb2 Qe2 55. Qc7 Qb5+ 56. Kc3 Kg6 57. Kd2 Qf1 58. Qc3 Qg2+ 59. Kc1 Qxg3 60. Qd3+ Kf7 61. Qf5?! { The beginning of the end for So, but if a draw and loss are equally unacceptable, why not extend the game to maximize swindling chances? } 61... Qxh4 62. Qxd5+ Kg6 63. Kb2 Qf4 64. Qc4 Qb8+ 65. Kc3 Qb5 66. Qxb5 Bxb5 67. Kb4 Be2 68. a4 Bxf3 69. c4 Kf5 70. Kc5 Ke6 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1